Does Your Mortgage Company Have a Content Marketing Strategy?

Are you confused by the concept of content marketing, the importance or what it even is? If you are, that’s ok…you’re not alone even by a long shot. Let’s start with a definition. According to Wikipedia, “Content marketing is an umbrella term encompassing all marketing formats that involve the creation and sharing of content in order to attract, acquire and engage clearly defined and understood current and potential consumer bases with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” Some types of content marketing include: ►Blog posts ►Downloadable White Papers ►Podcasts ►Infographics ►YouTube videos Now that you have a better handle on what content marketing is, why bother? Because according to research conducted by the Custom Content Council with Roper Affairs ... ►90% of consumers find custom content useful ►78% of people believe that organizations providing custom content are interested in building good relationships with them ►77% of people understand that an organization’s goal for custom content is to sell them something, but are OK with it as long as it provides value ►73% of people prefer to get information about an organization in a collection of articles rather than in a traditional advertisement ►61% of people feel better about a company that delivers custom content and are more likely to buy from that company So by now you should be convinced that content marketing for your mortgage company is valuable. So now all you need is a strategy. Here are some tips for building that strategy ... 1. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience to understand their needs: This requires doing a little bit of research. Take a look at the content that’s popular in the industry by reviewing blogs, competitive Facebook posts, tweets, articles and YouTube videos. Notice what’s “liked,” being shared and commented on. From this information, you can determine what good content looks like and reads like so that you can follow a similar format and information dissemination strategy for your mortgage company. 2. Develop a list of topics to cover over the course of a six-month period: The idea here is to make your content development execution less of a daunting task. Instead of coming up with ideas “on the fly,” you will know what you are disseminating to your audience and when. I recommend focusing on a six-month timeframe because you are literally on an information super-highway where things move and change quickly in the industry in terms of what people are talking about and their interests. Don’t be afraid to adapt your topics “on the fly” in order to accommodate your audience with more timely information. 3. Dedicate resources to implementation of your strategy: To be sure your strategy is actually implemented on a consistent basis, you need to dedicate resources…assign the responsibility to someone internally or even outsource it to a pro. 4. Set the bar high: Don’t settle for mediocre content just to meet a deadline or due to competing priorities. Here’s a fact…mediocre content can compromise your mortgage companies brand and cause you to lose your audiences’ attention. 5. Leverage social channels to disseminate content: Dedicate time to connect with others on channels, especially Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Use these channels to share links to your content, but be sure not to be too promotional. Keep in mind that the content you are sharing is supposed to provide useful information that will assist in positioning you as a thought leader, making your audience more receptive to engaging you and your company. 6. Consistency is key: Understand that not everything you put out there will be a “home run” with your audience, go viral or achieve a high “like” or share rate. No matter what, don’t let a lower engagement level discourage you. Producing regular content has many benefits from a search perspective and positioning you as a lending authority. So what are you waiting for? We can’t argue with the stats and now you have some great tips to get started so have fun. Patrick H. Seroka is president and chief executive officer of Seroka, the only Certified Brand Strategists in North America specializing in the mortgage industry. With Seroka, you'll experience unique, second-to-none client service and benefit from compelling marketing communications. Plus, we guarantee your growth. For more information, call (262) 523-3740 or e-mail [email protected].